1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is related to an apparatus and method for call routing within a telecommunications environment. More particularly, the present invention relates to an apparatus and method for a local routing system enabling a local exchange carrier to route network traffic according to a local service provider""s preferences.
2. Background and Material Information
Congress enacted the Telecommunications Act of 1996 as part of an effort to foster competition in the local telephone industry. Interpretations and enforcement of key portions of the Act were placed in the jurisdiction of the Federal Communications Commission. The FCC quickly set forth regulations which required incumbent local exchange carriers (LECs) to allow competitive local exchange carriers (CLECs, also often referred to as local service providers or LSPs) to utilize the LEC""s networks to establish a market presence in a region while the CLEC built its own physical network. The FCC rulings required LECs to make their network components available using a resale approach in which the CLEC purchases existing service bundles from the LEC and resells those bundles to the CLEC""s customers or an unbundled approach, in which the CLEC purchases individual service components from the LEC, recombines those elements in its own (possibly distinct) service bundles, sells those rebundled services to its customers, and pays the LEC for the usage of the unbundled components.
A final FCC ruling required LECs to provide the same routing flexibility for selected types of calls (local calls, operator calls, and directory assistance calls) to CLECs as it utilizes for its own service offerings for both resale and unbundled customers.
In the existing telephone network, the routing of calls and the billing for toll charges and usage charges is largely determined by special translations referred to as line class codes (LCCs). LCCs are used to associate a variety of other translations into a class of service which provides a particular local/toll calling scope and specifies where special call types such as operator or directory assistance are routed. The LCCs can also block selected types of calls (900, 1+ toll, international, etc.).
The large number of special calling plans, call restrictions, and permutations of these combinations requires a large number (several hundred, in most cases) of LCCs to be translated in each LEC switch. In order to meet FCC requirements to provide CLECs the same dialing plans offered by the LEC with alternate routing and/or usage sensitive billing, existing LCC translations could be duplicated and altered as required. However, such an approach would be labor intensive, error prone, and cost prohibitive. In some cases, attempting to duplicate existing LCCs would exhaust the serving switch""s available supply of LCC translations.
To avoid the problems associated with using LCC translations to meet FCC requirements, a system is need which can re-use existing LCC translations to enforce available dialing plans but override the routing of specific call types as requested by a CLEC, and create appropriate usage bill records for calls involving subscribers served by unbundled network elements. Furthermore, it is desirable to perform this additional call processing in a centralized system to allow local service providers to change their preferences without requiring manual changes in hundreds of decentralized switches.
In view of the foregoing, the present invention, through one or more of its various aspects, embodiments and/or specific features or sub-components, is thus intended to bring out one or more of the advantages as specifically noted below.
A local routing system is provided for selectively routing traffic in a telecommunications network according to a local service provider""s preferences. The local service provider provides service for telephone lines acquired from a local exchange carrier. The telecommunications network supports an originator subscribing to the local service provider. The originator initiates a trigger when originating a call to a destination by dialing a number.
The local routing system includes a classifier, a determiner, and a router. The classifier analyzes the dialed number and categorizes the call into one of several predetermined classes of traffic. The predetermined classes of traffic can be operator assistance traffic, directory assistance traffic, and local traffic. The determiner determines whether the local service provider has a routing preference for the class of traffic into which the classifier has placed the call. The router routes the traffic to the destination according to the local service provider""s routing preference if a routing preference exists for the class of traffic into which the classifier placed the call.
According to a preferred embodiment, the local routing system also includes a filter which analyzes the dialed number and determines whether the call is local. The filter determines whether the call is local by first comparing an originating local access and transport area (LATA) with a destination LATA, and if the LATAs are identical, the filter checks whether the destination NPANXX is within the local calling scope of the originator.
According to a preferred embodiment, the determiner determines the routing preference for each switch serving the originator. Furthermore, the local service provider indicates a routing preference for each switch within a local service provider network, and for each class of traffic. In addition, the local service provider may indicate a routing preference for each line within each switch within the local service provider network. When a routing preference for a line exists, the line routing preference supersedes the routing preference for the switch.
According to a preferred embodiment, the local routing system also includes a billing generator that generates a billing record for each unbundled call that is routed according to the local service provider""s preferences. The billing generator may generate a terminating access billing record for each unbundled call completed to a subscriber of the local service provider. The billing generator may also generate an originating access billing record for each unbundled call originated by the subscriber of the local service provider.
According to a preferred embodiment, the local routing system also includes a switch filter that filters all calls to predetermined numbers. Consequently, the filtered calls to the predetermined numbers are blocked from the classifier, determiner and router. Therefore, the filtered calls are routed according to the local exchange carrier""s instructions.
A billing system is provided for generating billing in a telecommunications network according to a local service provider""s usage. The local service provider provides service for telephone lines acquired from a local exchange carrier. The telecommunications network supports a destination subscribing to the local service provider. The billing system includes a terminating trigger initiated by the destination upon receiving a call, and a billing generator. The billing generator generates a terminating access billing record for each unbundled call completed to the destination subscribing to the local service provider. In addition, the billing system may include an originating trigger initiated by an originator subscribing to the local service provider upon placing an unbundled call. In response to the originating trigger, the billing generator generates an originating access billing record for each unbundled call placed by the originator.
A local routing method is provided for selectively routing traffic in a telecommunications network according to a local service provider""s preferences. The local service provider provides service for telephone lines acquired from a local exchange carrier. The telecommunications network supports an originator subscribing to the local service provider. The originator initiates a trigger when originating a call to a destination by dialing a number.
The method includes analyzing, determining, and routing. The analyzing includes analyzing the dialed number to place the call into a predetermined classes of traffic. The predetermined classes of traffic may include operator assistance traffic, directory assistance traffic, and local traffic. The determining includes determining whether the local service provider has a routing preference for the class of traffic into which the classifier has placed the call. The routing includes routing the traffic to the destination according to the local service provider""s routing preference, if a routing preference exists for the class of traffic into which the classifier placed the call.
According to a preferred embodiment, the local routing method also includes analyzing the dialed number to determine whether the call is local. If the call is not local the traffic is routed to a non-local switch. It is determined whether the call is local by comparing an originating local access and transport area (LATA) with a destination LATA. If the LATAs are identical, the method also includes checking whether a destination NPANXX is within a local calling scope of the originator.
According to a preferred embodiment, the local routing method also includes determining the routing preference for the switch serving the originator. Accordingly, the local service provider indicates a specific routing preference for each switch within a local service provider network, and a routing preference for each class of traffic. In addition, the local service provider indicates a routing preference for each line within each switch within the local service provider network. When a routing preference for a line exists, the routing preference for the line supersedes the routing preference for the switch.
According to a preferred embodiment, the local routing method also includes generating a billing record for each unbundled call that is routed according to the local service provider""s preferences. The local routing method may also include generating a terminating access billing record for each unbundled call completed to a subscriber of the local service provider. The local routing method may also include generating an originating access billing record for each unbundled call originated by the subscriber of the local service provider.
According to a preferred embodiment, the local routing method also includes filtering all calls to predetermined numbers, thereby blocking the filtered calls from being analyzed, classified, and routed according to the local service provider""s preference. Consequently, the filtered calls are routed according to the local exchange carrier""s instructions.
A billing system is provided for generating originating billing in a telecommunications network according to a local service provider""s usage. The local service provider provides service for telephone lines acquired from a local exchange carrier. The telecommunications network supports an originator subscribing to the local service provider. The billing system includes an originating trigger initiated by the originator upon placing an unbundled call, and a billing generator. The billing generator generates an originating access billing record for each unbundled call placed by the originator.